Systems and methods for using drones for determining line-of-sight conditions in wireless networks

Abstract

Systems and methods for: suggesting network topologies for a wireless communication network such as a millimeter-wave network; using drones for determining a line-of-sight condition between pairs of geospatial locations where communication nodes in the network are to be placed; and wirelessly interconnecting pairs of nodes in the network according to the a line-of-sight conditions previously determined using the drones. The drones may test for a line-of-sight condition using any number of methods, including laser range-finding, signaling between two of the drones, and pattern matching of visual imagery. A network planning tool may be used to suggest the network topologies, communicate and control the drones, and come to a final conclusion regarding the actual network topology selected, the placement of the communication nodes, and the specific wireless links to be used in interconnecting the nodes in the final network.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for determining existence of line-of-sight between pairs of geospatial locations, comprising:
 receiving, by a drone, a plurality of geospatial coordinates comprising a first set of geospatial coordinates corresponding to a first geospatial location at which a first communication node is to be installed, and a second set of geospatial coordinates corresponding to a second geospatial location at which a second communication node is to be installed; 
 flying to a to the first geospatial location, thereby positioning the drone where the first communication node is to be installed; 
 performing, by the drone, an optical test for an existence of a line-of-sight between the two geospatial locations; wherein the optical test is performed by the drone from the first geospatial location at which the first communication node is to be installed; and 
 using a result of the optical test to determine an existence of a line-of-sight between the first communication node to be installed and the second communication node to be installed. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the optical test comprises:
 aiming, by the drone, a laser range-finding device, to the second geospatial location; and 
 measuring, using the laser range-finding device, a distance of clearance between the drone and the second geospatial location. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 comparing said distance of clearance measured and a calculated distance between the first geospatial location and the second geospatial location; and 
 determining the existence of line-of-sight in a case that said comparison is concluded with the distance of clearance being greater than the calculated distance, or determining the absence of line-of-sight is a case that said comparison is concluded with the distance of clearance being shorter than the calculated distance. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the optical test comprises cooperating by the drone with a second drone, in which said cooperation comprises:
 flying, by the second drone, to the second geospatial location; and 
 checking for optical clearance between the drone and the second drone. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein said checking for optical clearance is done by observing, using a detector such as a camera, the second drone from the drone, or the drone from the second drone. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 4 , wherein said checking for optical clearance comprises:
 generating light flashes by one of the drones; and 
 detecting the light flashes by the other drone. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 4 , wherein said checking for optical clearance comprises:
 generating millimeter-wave signals by one of the drones; and 
 detecting the millimeter-wave signals by the other drone. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein:
 said detection of the millimeter-wave signals by the other drone indicates that a line-of-sight exists. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7 , wherein:
 said detection of the millimeter-wave signals by the other drone indicates that there is a multipath, and thereby concluding that a line-of-sight does not necessarily exists, but also concluding that one of the paths in the multipath may be used for a non-line-of-sight transmission. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 4 , wherein said checking for optical clearance comprises:
 generating laser signals by one of the drones; and 
 detecting the laser signals by the other drone. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the optical test comprises:
 searching, by the drone, for a known image pattern in the direction of the geospatial location, in which finding said known pattern indicates the existence of a line-of-sight. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating or receiving, by a network-planning tool, a requirement for placement of at least the first communication node and the second communication node respectively at the first set of geospatial coordinates and the second set of geospatial coordinates; 
 sending the plurality of geospatial coordinates to the drone; 
 receiving said result of the optical test from the drone; and 
 based on said result received that indicates the existence of a line-of-sight, suggesting, by the network-planning tool, that a millimeter-wave communication link is to be established between the two communication nodes to be placed respectively at the first set of geospatial coordinates and the second set of geospatial coordinates. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of geospatial coordinates further comprises additional sets of geospatial coordinates; and the method further comprises:
 flying, by the drone, to another geospatial location corresponding to one of the other sets of geospatial coordinates; 
 performing, by the drone, additional optical tests for the existence of additional lines-of-sight between the drone currently located at the another geospatial location and respectively the rest of the geospatial location corresponding to the rest of the sets of geospatial coordinates; and 
 logging or reporting results of the additional optical tests. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the drone is a an autonomous or semi-autonomous helicopter, such as a quadcopter, in which the drone is operative to hover exactly at the first set of geospatial coordinates during the optical test. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first set of geospatial coordinates are three-dimensional (3D), thereby corresponding to both location and height. 
     
     
       16. A system operative to determine existence of line-of-sight between pairs of geospatial locations, comprising:
 a network-planning tool operative to plan a millimeter-wave network comprising a plurality of millimeter-wave communication nodes to be installed respectively at a plurality of geospatial locations associated respectively with a plurality of sets of geospatial coordinates; and 
 at least a first drone operative to perform optical tests, in which each of the optical tests is operative to determine an existence of a line-of-sight between a particular two of the geospatial locations; 
 wherein: 
 the network-planning tool is configured to suggest a first network topology having a suggested and particular set of millimeter-wave communication links, in which each of the millimeter-wave communication links is suggested to interconnect a different two of the plurality of millimeter-wave communication nodes; 
 the network-planning tool is further configured to instruct the at least first drone to perform the optical test in conjunction with each of at least some of the millimeter-wave communication links suggested and the respective two geospatial locations associated therewith; and 
 the at least first drone is configured to: 
 follow said instruction by positioning itself where each one of at least some of the millimeter-wave communication node is to be installed; 
 perform each of the optical tests, in which during the optical test the first drone remains positioned where the respective one of the communication nodes is to be installed; and 
 report results back to the network-planning tool, thereby allowing the network-planning tool to determine whether the first network topology and the associated particular set of millimeter-wave communication links are feasible. 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the results reported back are such as to indicate the existence of a line-of-sight in conjunction with each of the millimeter-wave communication links that have been suggested and tested; and
 the network-planning tool is further configured to determine that the first network topology and the associated particular set of millimeter-wave communication links are feasible. 
 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the results reported back are such as to indicate a lack of existence of a line-of-sight in conjunction with at least one of the millimeter-wave communication links suggested; and
 the network-planning tool is further configured to determine that the first network topology and the associated particular set of millimeter-wave communication links are not feasible. 
 
     
     
       19. A system operative to determine existence of line-of-sight between pairs of geospatial locations, comprising:
 a network-planning tool operative to plan a millimeter-wave network comprising a plurality of millimeter-wave communication nodes to be placed respectively at a plurality of geospatial locations associated respectively with a plurality of sets of geospatial coordinates; and 
 at least a first drone operative to perform optical tests, in which each of the optical tests is operative to determine an existence of a line-of-sight between a particular two of the geospatial locations; 
 wherein: 
 the network-planning tool is configured to suggest a first network topology having a suggested and particular set of millimeter-wave communication links, in which each of the millimeter-wave communication links is suggested to interconnect a different two of the plurality of millimeter-wave communication nodes; 
 the network-planning tool is further configured to instruct the at least first drone to perform the optical test in conjunction with each of at least some of the millimeter-wave communication links suggested and the respective two geospatial locations associated therewith; and 
 the at least first drone is configured to follow said instruction, perform the optical tests, and report results back to the network-planning tool, thereby allowing the network-planning tool to determine whether the first network topology and the associated particular set of millimeter-wave communication links are feasible; 
 wherein the results reported back are such as to indicate a lack of existence of a line-of-sight in conjunction with at least one of the millimeter-wave communication links suggested; and 
 the network-planning tool is further configured to determine that the first network topology and the associated particular set of millimeter-wave communication links are not feasible; 
 wherein as a result of the determination that the first network topology and the associated particular set of millimeter-wave communication links are not feasible, the network-planning tool is further configured to: 
 suggest a second network topology having a second suggested and specific set of millimeter-wave communication links, in which said second set does not include the millimeter-wave communication links for which the lack of existence of a line-of-sight was reported; 
 the network-planning tool is further configured to re-instruct the at least first drone to perform the optical test again in conjunction with at least each of the millimeter-wave communication links in the second set that were not present in the particular set; and 
 the at least first drone is configured to follow said re-instruction, perform the optical tests again, and report the results back to the network-planning tool, thereby allowing the network-planning tool to determine whether the second network topology and the associated second set of millimeter-wave communication links are feasible. 
 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 16 , wherein each of the geospatial locations is a location on a map in conjunction with a specific height, thereby corresponding to a three-dimensional (3D) set of coordinates. 
     
     
       21. The system of  claim 20 , wherein the specific height is affected by a pole on which the respective millimeter-wave communication node is to be placed.